Battle of the Bridesmaids- Has 2017’s Bellator Overtaken 2011’s Strikeforce?

At the beginning of this decade, Strikeforce were the unanimous number-two in MMA. It was a promotion filled with elite talent (and big personalities) who would go on to claim multiple UFC titles.

The UFC’s purchase of Strikeforce in 2011 left a real void, as it seemed for a good few years that there was no viable alternative to the UFC. Fortunately, it looks like that drought has come to an end.

We’ve seen recently that fighters are far less inclined to immediately re-sign with the UFC, instead opting to explore free agency and potentially sign with other promotions. Signing with Bellator used to be the act of a fighter nearing the end of their career, but that is no longer the case.

Last year, I wrote a piece comparing Bellator’s stable of fighters at the time to the Strikeforce roster between 2010 and 2012. Given the recent influx of signings to Bellator, I wanted to revisit that comparison.

As I did before, I’ll pick my top-5 fighters in each weight classes and select a winner, taking career accomplishments, star-power, and professional records into consideration. Any fighter signed to Bellator today is eligible for selection, as is anyone who competed at the peak of Strikeforce (2010-2012).

There’s a huge gulf in class here. Strikeforce’s heavyweight Grand Prix was one of the most star-studded tournaments in MMA history, whilst heavyweight has never really been Bellator’s strongest division. 10-8 to Strikeforce.

It’s a tough one… and I’ve not even considered the two light heavyweights headlining Bellator’s upcoming PPV (Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva). Given that depth, and the fact that in Bader and Davis they have two of the top-10 light heavyweights in the world, this one’s a 10-9 to Bellator.

Bellator might not have matched Strikeforce’s peak just yet, but I’m looking forward to watching them try.

About the Author:

Nick Dwyer.
Nick is a 27-year-old MMA writer who has been part of #TeamEverlast for 2 years now, contributing weekly 'Dwyer Score' columns as well as statistical analyses and fighter interviews. Follow Nick on Twitter at @NickDwyerMMA.